Unprecedented
by tastewithouttalent
Summary: "When they come up over the crest of a hill it's Dino's sudden intake of breath that tips Hibari off before his own senses." Hibari stumbles upon the cherry blossom viewing with Dino, and finds his reaction not what he anticipated.


It's to Dino's credit, for some value of credit, that Hibari doesn't realize where they are until it's too late.

They aren't doing anything, really, other than walking, following a meandering path through Namimori that would result in Dino getting himself lost were Hibari not confident in his knowledge of the town. But he's not actively paying attention, is more focused on the gentle lilt of Dino's accent and the color of the tattoo spreading up the curve of his neck than on their surroundings, until when they come up over the crest of a hill it's Dino's sudden intake of breath that tips Hibari off before his own senses.

"Oh wow," Dino breathes, "It's beautiful," and a chill runs through Hibari out of all proportion. The half-seen surroundings of the last few minutes snap into place like the sound of cell doors slamming shut, a forgotten knot of tension seizes around his chest, and when he looks away from Dino and out at the pink-washed trees in front of them it's with the whip-quick instinct of danger.

He's done a good job of avoiding the blossoms, up till now. It was easy if not pleasant to cast aside the springtime viewings that once gave him so much joy; there's not much satisfaction to be had in panic attacks, after all, the effect of Sakura-kura on his psyche lingering well after the traces of the disease have cleared from his system. And with no one to answer to, he didn't even have to reach for excuses; it became a simple matter of avoidance, dodging this particular part of town for a week each year, and if his life became a little dimmer because of it he has been secure in his strength in exchange. But now he's back again, memories sweet and bitter hitting him all at once, and for a moment he can't catch his breath.

"Kyoya?" Dino's asking, his voice coming faint like an echo instead of reality. "Hey, Kyoya?"

Hibari takes an inhale. He can do that much, the rational part of his mind notes with some surprise. There's tension in his chest but it's not as bad as it once was, noticeable but not choking; as he takes another inhale he thinks it might be more shock, uncertainty of his own reaction winding itself into anxiety instead of the mind-numbing panic he is used to as his body gives way to a force outside his control. And he's still in control, after all, can still breathe and still move, and when Dino says his name again he can speak, even.

"What is it?" He looks away, drags his eyes from the dawn-pink blossoms and up to the concern writ clear all over the other's features. He looks younger when he worries, a crease settling into his forehead that strips away the gap in their ages until Hibari feels the elder.

"Are you okay?" Dino's eyes are wide with concern, his mouth soft around a frown of attention. "You went really quiet."

"I'm fine," Hibari says automatically, ready for the sour taste of a lie on his tongue. But it doesn't come, his words fall even and steady from his lips, and as Dino's face clears into relief Hibari can feel the tension of surprise collect unseen behind his own.

"I'm fine," he says again, looking away from Dino's face and back out to the trees as if to dare panic to come at him once more. A gust of wind catches the soft petals, blows them loose and into a brief shower Hibari can see even from their distance; there's a faint scent too, perfume swept towards them on the wind, and when Hibari breathes in it's previous years he thinks of, beauty untouched by his more recent associations.

"Do you dislike cherry blossoms?" Dino asks, his usual push for information like he thinks enough unrelated data points will give him a key to Hibari's thoughts.

"Not at all," Hibari says without looking up at the blond; then, voluntarily: "They're my favorite."

"Oh." A pause. Hibari can all but hear the confusion in Dino's thoughts, trying to reframe the information like solving a puzzle missing half its pieces. "Do you want to stay?"

"No." Hibari turns his back on the petals and the perfume alike, begins to move down the hill secure in the knowledge that Dino will follow him.

It's not an explanation, and Hibari doesn't offer any further details. But when the other draws level with him he reaches out without looking, bumps his fingers against the blond's wrist, and after a moment Dino turns his hand inward to let Hibari fit their fingers together.

It's unprecedented behavior, for him. But also unprecedented is the way the knot in his chest is giving way to calm, the way his breathing is coming easy with the memory of the blossoms still fresh in his mind, and it seems apt, as appropriate to the moment as Hibari opening his mouth to speak, the words cool and clean with sincerity.

"Maybe next year."


End file.
